Where Shock Meets Something Surprisingly Thoughtful

Read Time:6 Minute, 10 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Man Eating Pussy
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Genre: Horror, Drama
Year Released: 2026
Runtime: 12m
Director(s): Lee Lawson
Writer(s): Emily Lawson
Cast: Grace Glowicki, Julian Richings, Nicolette Pearse, Harrison Browne
Where to Watch: shown at the 2026 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & TV Festival

RAVING REVIEW: There’s no easing into MAN EATING PUSSY, and honestly, that’s the point. The title alone sets very clear expectations that we’re going in a very specific direction, but what the film actually delivers isn’t just shock value or empty provocation. It’s something far more controlled, far more deliberate, and surprisingly, far more thoughtful than most would assume going in. This is a film that knows exactly how it’s going to be perceived and leans into that perception just enough to disarm you before revealing what it’s actually going to do to you!

I’ll be upfront, this isn’t the kind of film I typically gravitate toward. I’m not someone who likes projects that feel “artsy” for the sake of being artsy, or strange just to prove how strange they can be. Body horror, especially, is a genre I’ve always kept at a distance unless there’s something deeper holding it together. That’s what makes this one stand out. Beneath the surface-level provocation is a level of intention that’s hard to ignore, and more importantly, hard to dismiss.

The premise centers on a terminally ill man seeking out a final experience that blurs the line between intimacy, mortality, and something more abstract. Julian Richings plays Freddie with a quiet, almost fragile presence that keeps the film grounded even as everything around him becomes increasingly surreal. There’s no overplaying on the character’s condition or his motivations. Instead, Richings lets the stillness do the work, allowing the audience to understand the weight of what this encounter represents.

Opposite him is Grace Glowicki as Kitty, and this is where the film finds its most unpredictable twist. Glowicki has been on a remarkable run lately, consistently choosing projects that push boundaries in ways that feel like an intentional path rather than just randomness. From DEAD LOVER to HUNNY BUNCH, BOOGER, STRAWBERRY MANSION, and now this, she’s walked a path for herself as someone who can take material that might not work in lesser hands and give it a sense of control and purpose. Here, she manages to be unsettling and oddly comforting at the same time, which is exactly what the role requires.

What makes her performance work isn’t just the physicality of it, but the tone she brings to the interaction. There’s a calmness to Kitty that contrasts with the concept itself. She isn’t played as something monstrous in the expected sense. Instead, she’s patient, understanding, and almost gentle (well…), which makes the film’s thesis land in a way that feels more layered than it has any right to.

Visually, the film leans heavily into its aesthetic without losing sight of its purpose. The mise-en-scène is carefully constructed, creating a space that feels intimate and slightly detached from reality. It never crosses into the territory of feeling indulgent, though. Every choice seems tied to the story's undercurrent. That balance is difficult to maintain in a film like this, especially one that could easily rely on its concept alone to carry attention.

The body horror elements are, as expected, where the film will divide audiences. There’s no avoiding that. But what stands out is how restrained it actually feels in execution. It’s not about overwhelming the viewer. It’s about building toward moments that carry everything, moments that feel earned. There are stretches where the abstraction might feel a bit too much, where the emotional connection risks slipping under the weight of the concept. It’s a fine line, and while the film stays on the correct side of it, there are moments where it comes close to losing that balance. For some, that will be part of the appeal. For others, it might feel like the film is holding them at arm’s length.

Where it really shines is its ability to embed itself in your brain. This isn’t something you watch and move on from. It sticks with you, not just because of what it shows, but because of what it suggests. There’s a strange mix of discomfort and reflection that settles in after it ends, and that’s where the film finds its real impact. It’s not trying to be easily digestible. It’s trying to leave an impression, and it does. The humor, though subtle, is another element that helps balance the experience. It’s not laugh-out-loud funny, but there’s an awareness of how absurd the premise is, and the film doesn’t shy away from that. That laughter is intentional, like the film is inviting you to question your own reaction in real time.

For a 12-minute short, MAN EATING PUSSY accomplishes something a lot of longer films struggle with. It establishes an identity, commits to it, and follows through without second-guessing itself. Even if it doesn’t align with your personal tastes, there’s a level of craft here that’s hard to deny. This is the kind of project that will spark conversation, whether people love it, hate it, or fall somewhere in between. And honestly, that feels like part of its purpose. It’s not trying to be universally embraced. It’s trying to be experienced, reacted to, and remembered.

For someone like me, who doesn’t usually connect with this kind of filmmaking, the fact that it worked at all says a lot. It’s not going to convert everyone, and it shouldn’t. But it proves that even within a genre built on discomfort, there’s room for intention, control, and something that feels genuinely unique.

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[photo courtesy of LAWSONIAN, SHORTFINAL FILMS, JUNE FILMS]

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